


Too Busy to Celebrate

by Small_Hobbit



Series: Greg Lestrade's Birthday [3]
Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Birthday, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-30
Updated: 2014-06-30
Packaged: 2018-02-06 20:25:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 674
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1871265
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Small_Hobbit/pseuds/Small_Hobbit
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It may be his birthday, but the best Greg can hope for is a quick pint in the pub before closing time.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Too Busy to Celebrate

**Author's Note:**

> Written to celebrate Rupert Graves' birthday.
> 
> Follows a year after Lestrade's Birthday Present. Not series 3 compliant.

He hadn’t expected a surprise party as had happened two years ago, although the inflatable crocodile was still in the box room, slightly deflated. And he certainly wasn’t expecting to find John Watson dressed up as a birthday present in his bedroom; not that he would have objected, but since they were now living together, it wasn’t going to have quite the novelty value. In fact he would have settled for a meal out at a decent restaurant – the sort that meant finding a clean shirt and a tie. But at the moment it looked as if a quick pint before closing time was all he would be having, if he was lucky.

Their current case had been particularly unpleasant and having caught the main suspects he was anxious to ensure that the paperwork was completely correct. It had happened to another team recently; errors had been picked up, those detained had had to be released and had immediately left the country, leaving the team who had spent months working on the case totally demoralised. Greg was determined that that wouldn’t happen this time.

He sighed, picked up the files and headed out of his office. He would pass them on, grab a coffee on the way back and then finalise what needed doing the following day before - he glanced at his watch - grabbing a swift pint in a nearby pub before they shut. He’d text John to meet him whilst he was getting his coffee.

Ten minutes later he was heading back towards his office, carrying his mug of coffee, when Sally stopped him.

“I’ve got a couple of questions, sir, if you wouldn’t mind,” she began.

“Just go home, Sal, they’ll keep till tomorrow.”

“I’d rather sort it now. It won’t take a minute.”

Greg sighed, sensing the minutes towards closing time ticking past. But she’d put as much effort into the case as he had and it would be unfair to deny her his attention. She was clearly tired, for she knocked a pile of papers onto the floor whilst talking to him, so he helped to pick them up.

Once they had finished discussing her questions, which really could have waited until the next day, he said “Is there anything else?”

She shook her head and he looked round to pick up his coffee, but couldn’t find it.

“Did you move my coffee?” he asked her.

“No, sir. You were on your way to get some when I stopped you.”

He was half way to the door before he realised that he had definitely been carrying a mug of coffee when she stopped him. He turned back, determined to send her home since she was clearly confused because she was overtired. However, Sally was no longer there and instead DS Hopkins was standing in her place with a pile of papers that he wanted signing.

“No, Stanley, I’ll do it tomorrow,” he said firmly.

“But sir!”

“Listen, I realise you’re keen. And I’ve appreciated all your hard work; it can’t have been easy having this case as your first one with us, but just go home.”

Hopkins seemed to be deliberately trying to stand between Greg and his office and Greg was trying to decide if he could manhandle Hopkins out of the way without being accused of assault when Sally reappeared, put her hand on Hopkins arm and said “It’s okay, Stanley.”

Greg breathed a sigh of relief and headed towards his office, deciding to forego his coffee in what felt like an increasingly vain attempt to get to the pub.

He opened the door, to see balloons, a cake, cheap supermarket party food, several cans of beer and what seemed to be more people than would realistically fit in his office.

“Happy Birthday, sir,” Sally said. “Sorry it’s not much, but it’s the best we could manage in the time.”

“Thank you.”

Someone passed him a can of beer, which he opened and then he said “I propose a toast. To the best team a DI could have.”

 


End file.
